2. Oklahoma City Thunder – Jabari Smith Jr.
The Oklahoma City Thunder have two on-ball gems in Shai Gilgeous-Alexander and Josh Giddey. SGA is a bona fide future All-Star who’s at his best attack downhill with his erratic and herky-jerky-style handle. His combination of size, strength, and fluidity make him a constant threat to get to the rim and finish.
Josh Giddey is a playmaking phenom who has the size, vision, and touch to be a true point-forward. His outside shooting is the only thing holding him back from being a well-rounded offensive force, but his basketball IQ and ability to create for others will keep him on the floor. Both players have proven to play well off of each other and should be an impressive ballhandling tandem for years to come.
Last year was the first time the Thunder even kept their own first-round selection since Terrence Ferguson who was part of the 2017 class. The last time they held a pick in the top three was when they acquired James Harden third overall in 2009.
The Thunder need to pick somebody who can play off of their promising young duo of SGA and Giddey, a two-way force who can impact the offense without the ball in his hands. That describes both Jabari Smith Jr. and Chet Holmgren.
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OKC is expected to continue to play “Moneyball,” though, in hopes of landing the number one overall pick and having the opportunity to acquire consensus top prospect, Victor Wembenyama — a slender, true seven-footer with guard skills and advanced shot-blocking instincts — in 2023.
With that in mind, they should avoid the possible redundancy of having both Chet Holmgren and Victor Wembenyama on the team and select Jabari Smith Jr. JSJ will be an excellent fit as a 6’10 off-ball weapon who can hit triples off of a variety of catches and angles, spacing the floor and racking up assists for SGA and Giddey.
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On defense, he projects to be an excellent help defender and should be a major boon for the Thunder on that end when they’re finally ready to compete.
